In lieu of the San Francisco Street Food Festival this year, La Cocina is doing the next best thing: combining tacos, mezcal, and luchadores for one giant party! Participating La Cocina chefs such as Bini's Kitchen, El Huarache Loco, Mama Lamees, Sabores del Sur, and more will cook up their best taco variations for one delicious day under the sun. There's even rumors that a slew of returning SFSFF favorites such as 4505 (hello cheeseburger tacos!) will be returning for the friendly competition. // $25, Saturday, August 13th: Pier 70, 420 22nd St. (Dogpatch), Get tickets here.

Introducing the new ice cream sandos at Smitten. (@7x7bayarea on Instagram)

Smitten Marina Opens Saturday

The more Smitten ice cream shops in San Francisco, the merrier. On Saturday the made-to-order ice cream empire is opening a new location on Chestnut Street and debuting a new handmade cookie-dough-with-pretzels ice cream sandwich (note: the sandwich part is also made of cookie dough). This may be just enough for us to trek down to the Marina. // Open daily, 2268 Chestnut St. (Marina), smittenicecream.com

Agave Uptown Opens in Oakland

Oakland is getting a new Oaxacan restaurant Wedbesday night. Agave Uptown was inspired by Chef Octavio Diaz, who grew up cooking the traditional cuisine in his hometown of Santa Gertrudis, Mexico. The menu will feature a strong focus on mole and will of course contain a vast colletion of mezcal. // Open daily, 2135 Franklin St. (Uptown Oakland), agaveuptown.com

Eleven Madison Park Chefs Plan Pop-up

Chefs Angela Pinkterton and David Nayfeld met while working at Eleven Madison Park (the world's third best restaurant, according to San Pellegrino), and are now opening Chef Fico on Divisadero later this year. In the meantime, the duo is hosting a series of pop-up dinners at the former Roosevelt Tamale Parlor on 24th Street, starting this Thursday. Called Mama Galina, after Nayfeld's mother, the dinners are inspired by the food of the former U.S.S.R. and his upbringing as a Jewish refugee from Belarus. //$75, various dates, 2817 24th St. (Mission), Reserve here.